1. the condition that distinguishes living things from dead things or non-living matter
生命；生物體生存的狀態
The doctor saved his life.
醫生救了他的命。
Is there life on other planets?
其他星球上有生命嗎？
Life Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
life
noun
快速理解
What does "Life" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Life"?
The word 'life' primarily refers to the state of being alive, the existence of a living being, or the experiences and activities that constitute one's existence.
- 1
生物的生命
EN: the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth and reproduction.
翻譯: 指生物有別於無機物的狀態，包括生長和繁殖的能力。
- 2
人的一生
EN: the existence of an individual human being or animal.
翻譯: 指個人或動物的存在期間。
- 3
生活方式
EN: the way that someone lives their life, including their activities and experiences.
翻譯: 指一個人的生活方式，包括其活動與經歷。
- 4
生命力/活力
EN: vitality, energy, or liveliness.
翻譯: 指生命力、精力或活潑的狀態。
小提醒：注意 'life' 作為不可數名詞時，泛指『生命』或『生活』的概念；但當指具體的『生命個體』或『生活方式』時，可以是可數名詞（如：lives）。
發音（How to Pronounce "Life" in English）
How to pronounce "Life" in English?"Life" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Life" from YouTube Videos
Steven Schwaitzberg: A universal translator for surgeons
TED
“We need it for our everyday life in order to make the world a smaller place.”
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Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Life"?How does "Life" change by context?
2. the period from birth to death; the duration of a person's or organism's existence
一生；壽命；從出生到死亡的期間
She lived her whole life in the same town.
她一生都住在同一個城鎮。
The average life of a smartphone is about two years.
智慧型手機的平均壽命大約是兩年。
3. the experiences, activities, and events that happen during a person's existence
生活；生活方式；人生經歷
He leads a very busy life.
他過著非常忙碌的生活。
Moving to a new country changed my life completely.
搬到一個新國家徹底改變了我的人生。
4. energy, liveliness, or enthusiasm
活力；生氣；朝氣
The children were full of life and laughter.
孩子們充滿了活力與笑聲。
Her performance brought the character to life.
她的表演讓這個角色活靈活現。
5. a biography or story of someone's life
傳記；生平故事
I'm reading a life of Winston Churchill.
我正在讀一本溫斯頓·邱吉爾的傳記。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Life"?How to make natural sentences with "Life"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a life of + noun | 一種…的生活 | He lived a life of luxury. (他過著奢華的生活。) |
| lead/live a + adjective + life | 過著…的生活 | She leads a very active life. (她過著非常活躍的生活。) |
| bring + noun/pronoun + to life | 使…生動/復活 | The actor brought the character to life. (這位演員賦予了角色生命。) |
| come to life | 變得生動；活過來 | The city comes to life at night. (這座城市在夜晚變得生氣勃勃。) |
| for life | 終身；一輩子 | They became friends for life. (他們成了終身的朋友。) |
| risk one's life | 冒生命危險 | The firefighter risked his life to save the child. (那名消防員冒著生命危險去救那個孩子。) |
| take one's own life | 結束自己的生命 | It's a tragedy that he took his own life. (他結束了自己的生命，這是一場悲劇。) |
| the meaning of life | 生命的意義 | Philosophers have long debated the meaning of life. (哲學家長久以來都在辯論生命的意義。) |
| life as + noun | 作為…的生活 | Life as a student can be stressful. (作為學生的生活可能壓力很大。) |
| give life to + noun | 賦予…生命/活力 | Her enthusiasm gave life to the project. (她的熱情為這個專案注入了活力。) |
用法說明
How is "Life" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Life"?
life doing vs life to do
- life doing 通常描述一種習慣、愛好或經常性的享受，強調「生活就是做某事」的狀態或過程。
- life to do 則更常指向一個具體的、一次性的行動、機會或目標，有時帶有「為了做某事而活」或「人生的目標是去做某事」的意味。
- 在許多情況下，兩者可以互換，但細微差別在於前者強調「過程與常態」，後者強調「目的與特定事件」。 EN: His life is helping others; he finds true purpose in it. 翻譯: 他的人生就是幫助他人；他從中找到真正的目標。
EN:Her life's goal is to help others in need.
翻譯:她的人生目標是去幫助有需要的人。
EN:I love city life; it's always buzzing with energy.
翻譯:我熱愛都市生活；它總是充滿活力。
EN:We moved to the country to live a quiet life.
翻譯:我們搬到鄉下去過寧靜的生活。
總結建議
一般來說，描述常態或狀態時用「life doing」，而表達特定目標或轉變時則傾向使用「life to do」。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Life" and similar words?How to choose "Life" vs alternatives?
life vs lifetime
"life" 指生命、生活或生物的存在狀態；"lifetime" 則指一個人的一生或某物的使用期限，強調時間跨度。
life vs living
"life" 是廣泛的生命或生活概念；"living" 常指生計、謀生方式或活著的狀態。
life vs existence
"life" 特指有生命特徵（如生長、繁殖）的存在；"existence" 泛指任何事物（包括無生命物）的存在狀態。
口語用法
How is "Life" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Life"?
引述
在對話中，人們常會引述或提及一些關於「life」的常見說法或格言。 EN: You know what they say, life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. 翻譯: 你知道常言道，人生就是當你忙於制定其他計劃時所發生的事。
EN:My grandma always told me, "That's life," whenever something didn't go my way.
翻譯:每當事情不如我意時，我奶奶總是告訴我：「這就是人生。」
語氣強調
「life」常用於感嘆句中，以強調對某事物極度熱愛或厭惡，賦予強烈的情感色彩。 EN: Ugh, this job is the bane of my life! 翻譯: 唉，這工作真是我人生的剋星！
EN:Oh my god, this concert is the best night of my life!
翻譯:天啊，這場演唱會是我人生中最棒的夜晚！
停頓填充
在思考或組織語言時，說話者可能會用「life」相關的短語作為停頓填充，使對話聽起來更自然。 EN: So, in my life... uh... I've never seen anything like it. 翻譯: 所以，在我的人生中…呃…我從未見過這樣的事情。
EN:Well, that's life for you... I guess we just have to deal with it.
翻譯:嗯，人生就是這樣…我想我們只能接受它。
正式寫作注意：上述口語用法，特別是「停頓填充」和過於情緒化的「語氣強調」，通常不適用於學術論文、商業報告或其他正式書面文體。在正式寫作中，應使用更精確、客觀的詞彙來表達相關概念。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Life"?What fixed phrases with "Life" should I remember?
life expectancy
noun + noun
預期壽命，平均壽命
quality of life
noun + of + noun
生活品質
life story
noun + noun
人生故事，生平事蹟
life-changing
noun + adjective (compound adjective)
改變人生的
bring to life
verb + to + noun (phrasal verb)
使生動，使復甦，實現
life and death
noun + and + noun
生死攸關的
daily life
adjective + noun
日常生活
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Life"?Which "Life" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×I have a happy life.
✓I have a happy life.
此處的 'wrong' 與 'right' 相同，是為了示範常見誤解。學習者常誤以為 'life' 不可數，因此不敢使用 'a life'。實際上，當指涉一個具體的、可數的個體生命或人生經歷時，'life' 是可數名詞，可以使用 'a life'。
×Many lifes were lost in the war.
✓Many lives were lost in the war.
'Life' 的複數形式是不規則變化，應為 'lives' (/laɪvz/)，而非規則變化的 'lifes'。這是常見的拼字與發音錯誤。
×The life's meaning is different for everyone.
✓The meaning of life is different for everyone.
雖然 'life' 可以使用所有格 (life's)，但對於像 'the meaning of life' 這類抽象、固定的哲學性短語，使用 'of' 結構更為自然和常見。濫用所有格 's 是學習者的常見錯誤。
×In life, we face many challenges.
✓In life, we face many challenges.
此處的 'wrong' 與 'right' 相同，是為了說明一個概念。學習者有時會在不該加冠詞的抽象用法前誤加冠詞。當 'life' 泛指抽象概念上的『生命、人生、生活』（作為一個整體）時，通常是不可數且不加冠詞的，例如 'in life', 'a question of life and death'。
×I enjoy my live.
✓I enjoy my life.
'Life' (名詞，/laɪf/) 和 'live' (動詞，/lɪv/；或形容詞，/laɪv/) 容易因拼寫和發音相似而混淆。此處應使用名詞 'life'。
×I've lived here all life.
✓I've lived here all my life.
'All life' 意指『所有的生物』，範圍極廣。要表達『一生、一輩子』，必須使用所有格，如 'all my life', 'all his life'。遺漏所有格是常見錯誤。
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Life"?What are tense/participle forms of "Life"?